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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · lean · cabinet · court · cell · bowl · rush · nail

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. degree — from a university
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. degree — temperature
  23. cell — a phone
  24. court — of law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com